Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs at Chicago Cubs since 2011, Mr. Julian Green has again, installed a community based program that will bring people together from all around Chicago and even out of state.

With the Cubs, Julian is responsible for directing the organization's corporate and non-baseball communications efforts, while helping to bolster the team's community relations efforts across the city. And for the second year, HBCUalum of Alabama A&M, Green, has organized and will host HBCU Day at Wrigley Field, Friday, September 25.

So come represent your Yard at the Friendly Confines when the Cubs take on the Pittsburgh Pirates for a day of networking, fun and excitement! Tickets prices are $25 and include an HBCU t-shirt. Wear your Cubs gear or red & blue, or your HBCU school colors and represent! For tickets go to www.cubs.com/hbcuday or CLICK banner above.

Pregame Kickoff Party:Draft Kings Fantasy Sports Zone – Closest bar to Wrigley Field (1060 West Addison Street). Come party at the largest summer hangout in Wrigleyville: Huge outdoor patio, 56 flat screen TVs, great food and cocktails. Co-hosted by Mark FullaFlava, HBCU alum of Jackson State University. This is in association with the 18th Annual Chicago Football Classic.

TBTNEWS MEDIA ALERTMore Rubber Stamping!

Contributing Correspondent: CDW

I remember my mentor Bill Garth expressing to me on multiple occasions how he used to beat down doors and write hard hitting articles on how not only black people but white people were misusing the black community. The difference then was that people were educated to the process and understood that he had a job to do, and they acknowledged that tremendous responsibility. He even received much of his accolades and appointments after he fought the opposition. The white people or companies, mainly, wanted his insight to attempt to make things better and they respected his courage to defend his community.

We've witnessed political adversaries who debate, scream and disrespect each other during long and heated elections for coveted elected posts. Even after the election ended, the winner would gracefully acknowledge his defeated opponent, and in most cases, the winner would also request the loser to join their cabinet or transitional team. I always looked at this with amazement as mainly white politicians would conduct themselves against their white opponents. Each time I saw this, I learned something very valuable. And I practice it today in my profession and personal life.

But today, here we are, more than a week after CPS announced that they would keep the Dyett School open; and a few days since the hunger strikers have ended their horrific ordeal - yesterday, CPS leadership outlined two new advisory committees to construct the curriculum for the soon to be reopened Dyett.

Because of upset tones and attitudes of formidable detractors likeKOCO, and Jitu Brown, along with long standing community activist and hunger striker, Cathy Dale, or their leadership team, have been excluded from being a part of these two committees. This is shameful. And anyone who sits on these two volunteer posts should be concerned with why any of these individuals in mentioned have not been asked to join the advisory committees.

I've heard from someone very close to the situation, that certain elected officials and pastors and others, completely dislike KOCO and the protesters. They're mainly the reason why none of the protesters and hunger strikers were asked; after they've put in all the hard and long work to keep Dyett open. KOCO had the best proposal for the school, but because of personal hurt feelings, they'll never be included. (See my argument above about political races and Mr. Garth's statement to me). Why can't select people in my community be better?

This is another rubber stamp committee designed to separate the community. Because if they wanted to combine the lives that matter, they would've included a few of the protesters and hunger strikers, who, again, fought this fight for years and have worked on ways to save Dyett and other neighborhood schools.

The names on the two new committees are filled with capable people. I know a few them very well. One man is an absolute loyal supporter of TBTNews. He emails me often. When he sees me, we hi-five, and he expresses his admiration for what I'm doing. And another committee member is a woman who I still consider to be like a sister, even though we don't vibe as much anymore. And there are others who I know and some I don't. Here is a snippet of CPS recent statement and the list of committee members for your amusement:

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) today announced the formation of two Technical Advisory Committees (TAC), composed of leaders from some of the city's top universities and cultural institutions, to support the realization of the Bronzeville community's vision for the new Walter H. Dyett High School. CPS is bringing together experts who will provide strategic recommendations to ensure the new Dyett High School meets the community's high expectations.

The hidden hand of power should grow up and stop taking their personal hurt emotions out on the community and its trusted freedom fighters. Most are not always correct in their actions for freedom, but non the less, they've taken action where most have decided that FREEDOM is too Hard!

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CELEBRITY TRAFFIC

The President and First Lady attend Congressional Black Caucus event in Washington, D.C. (Photo: T. Stoudemire)

Community activist and business woman Afrika Porter and her posse hang out for her birthday celebration at Urban Broadcast Media in bronzeville

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Mr. Henry English

TBTNEWS SALUTE...A Man Who Cares

Correspondent: MG Media

The Black United Fund of Illinois has provided opportunities for hundreds of organizations and individuals through their over 30 year operation serving the community. BUFI'sfounder's committed determination to ensure that his community has the needed resources to prosper has always been the agency's number one priority.

Today, Mr. Henry English and his devoted team embarks on an unique way of raising funds for the starving communities where they live, work and play- that's in urgent need of cash. “It’s exciting,” says BUFI CEO and President English. “We’ve listened to our staunch supporters, young entrepreneurs and corporate executives who assure us that with our history, and through this innovative approach, we can raise funds while creating an awareness of BUFI’sgiving history.”

30 years ago the Black United Fund waged and won a legal battle for the right to enter federal, state, city and county work places soliciting workers’ to pledge a portion of their payroll dollars to causes in their community they wanted to support. BUFI uses funds generated to provide grants to support groups and organizations, including The DuSable Museum of African American History, eta Creative Arts Foundation, Clara’s House, MUNTU Dance Theater, Black Ensemble Theater and Jackie Robinson West Little League.

Now celebrating 30 years of “self-help,” BUFI is increasing the awareness of their track record with the help of some of the area’s most innovative media and social media communicators. BUFI hopes that those conversations will create a buzz in communities around self-help and motivate participation in the Virtual Gala.

Research tells us that donors respond to a movement centered on self-help. Additionally, those who support BUFI’s efforts are all over the country, so this 30 day-long Virtual Gala will reach far beyond Chicago, telling a story that includes BUFI’sinnovative Safe Passage program, for instance.

According to English, funds raised at the Virtual Gala will support more youth employment, programs and grants to organizations that will lead to jobs or new businesses being created. “This is our track-record. This is our future. There’s more to come.” Follow the Virtual Gala by using the hashtag #bufi3030vision orwww.bufi.org.

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Ted Santos

C.E.O. EXCHANGEThe Road to High Performance

Contributing Correspondent: Ted Santos

“If you pay in peanuts, you get monkeys.” – Anonymous

In a high performing culture, which comes first – money or performance? Doling out a salary of peanuts to your employees may very well turn them into monkeys. At the same time, you don’t want to overpay them either. Before you get caught up in a chicken-egg paradox, you must realize that money alone will not increase employees’ value proposition to the company.

After speaking with many retired CEOs, they have all commented that it is people who take care of the company and its clients, not processes, money, metrics, and benchmarks. If you value the people, they will take care of processes and money. Too often, executives overlook three main areas of focus that affect employee and company performance:

1). Building your global competitive edge through the right employees 2). The importance of an empowering vision – leadership’s role

3). Making sure your employees maintain a strong value proposition for the company and clients into the future

Clearly, if you want to have an edge in this global economy, you need to pay a competitive salary. However, you also must make sure you are paying it to the right people. For example, I have seen the CEO who pays employees higher than normal salaries. His vision was based solely on creating more money. That philosophy did not excite employees, and that CEO did not have an environment where people were rewarded for learning and being stretched and challenged. They just did more and more work. Even though the CEO of that business felt he was overpaying his people, his feeling was he had monkeys.

On the other hand, there are countries that do not have the luxury of high salaries and bonuses. In some instances, money serves little or no purpose in the workforce. For example, while living in the jungles of Belize and rural villages of Costa Rica, I learned leadership strategies that empowered people to perform their best without exchanging currency. The leaders of these villages held a vision of collaboration and mutual benefit, except they did not own it for themselves. They shared those ideals with the community so that every worker, myself included, worked hard because they wanted to see the community succeed.

Despite the need for capital, when people are empowered by the ideals of a village or company, they take pride in what they are accomplishing. When they are in an environment that embraces change, encourages high performance and rewards it, people deliver beyond expectations. We see this in sporting teams that have the highest paid athletes, yet the team never makes it to the playoffs.

Certain jobs lose value over time. Like a business, employees must remain relevant in a world of constant change. Therefore, employers and employees have a shared responsibility of increasing employee value. To keep a corporation on the tip of its feet, employees need to constantly develop new skills and competencies. To maintain a dynamic company, employees must be able to evolve. At the same time, the company also has a fiduciary responsibility to see that their employees are growing more effectively.

Ultimately, employees who hold on to skills and competencies that become obsolete will end up being paid peanuts and companies that don’t develop their employees will be left with monkeys.

What do you think? I’m open to ideas. Or if you want to write me about a specific topic, connect through my blog www.turnaroundip.blogspot.com.